It all starts with the research. I'm a firm believer that we all need to keep fit and play, and I have lots of friends who I can tag along with on their adventures. Getting out a lot gives me hundreds of ideas for sculptures and I try to sketch out the ideas to help me solidify the pictures in my head. Once I have a good picture, I make a wire frame of the figure, then I add bones to make a skeleton for each character. Next come the muscles, then skin and clothing, and last the equipment is added. I often use clothing, specific sporting equipment and often need to do more "research" to ensure it all works together. After much cleaning up and revising, the wax or clay figures are sent to the foundry where the lost wax method is used. I use the Lands End Sculpture Center in Paonia. A mold is made of the original piece, then a wax copy is made out of the mold and a plaster cast is made around that wax piece. The wax is melted out and bronze is poured in, and after the last details are added, a patina is applied. After the piece is finished many sculptures are placed on unique stone bases.
See a block of clay, a wire frame and the initial skeleton of a figure on the table. The Skier and Kayaker are at the finishing stage.